Eurozone power couple France and Germany urged Greek leaders on Monday to “live up to their responsibilities” and said that time was running out in talks on an unpopular austerity package designed to slash its deficit.

Speaking at a joint news conference after talks in Paris, President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel also said Athens should block its credit interest payments in a special account to ensure it can service its debts.

“We want this accord,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy said. “Greece’s leaders have made commitments and they must respect them scrupulously ... Europe is a place where everyone has their rights and duties. Time is running out, it needs to be concluded, it needs to be signed.”